Sliding hopper gate assembly



May 14, 1963 Filed June 9, 1959 FIG. 4

W. L. FLOEHR SLIDING HOPPER GATE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I .9 I

FIG. 2

Inventor:

Walter L. Floehr his Attorney May 14, 1963 w. 1.. FLOEHR SLIDING'HOPPERGATE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1959 l L L his AttorneyUnited States Patent 3,089,435 SLIDING HUPPER GATE ASSEMBLY Walter L.Floehr, Toledo, Dhio, assignor to Unitcast Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Filed June 9, 1959, Ser. No. 819,165 "7 Claims. (Cl.105282) This invention relates to slide gate assemblies for railwayhopper cars and has for an object the provision of an improved slidegate assembly which, in its means for supporting a gate in openposition, is simpler and less expensive than but equal in effectivenessto a conventional assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved slide gateassembly wherein the drive means by which the gate is moved between openand closed positions is of such construction and arrangement as itselfto limit outward movement of the gate without detriment to the lattersinstallation and removal.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved slidegate assembly wherein outward movement of the gate is limited by theassemblys drive means and the gate in open position is supported, inlieu of the con ventional extensive supporting framework, on cantilevermeans supported entirely on the frame of the assembly surrounding thedischarge opening in the hopper to which the assembly is applied. 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter inthe detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE ,1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of theimproved slide gate assembly of the present invention applied to ahopper;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG- URE 1 removed fromthe hopper;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 ofFIGURE 2, but with the assembly applied to a hopper as shown in FIGURE1;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the assembly of FIGURE 1 withportions broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustratecertain of the details of construction;

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view of the assembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the slide gate of thepreceding figures.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts, the improved slide gate assembly of thepresent invention is designed to control the discharge of lading throughthe bottom or discharge opening 1 of a bottom-opening hopper 2, such asis found in a covered hopper car. As in a typical assembly employed forthe purpose, that of this invention has a frame 3 of conventionalgenerally rectangular or box shape which surrounds or embraces thebottom opening 1 and has its upper portion 4 welded or otherwise fixedto or made rigid with the side sheets or sides 5 of the hopper 2 aboutthat opening. Also conventionally, the frame 3 projects or extends belowthe hopper 2 and terminates downwardly in an open-bottomed chute 6forming its lower portion.

lnteriorly, the frame 3 has a horizontal shelf or ledge 7 encircling itsvertically directed central aperture 8 and seating below the bottomopening 1 of the hopper 2 a slide gate or door 9 which is slidable,shiftable or reciprocble horizontally on the shelf to closed and openpositions through a horizontally elongated slot 10 in the frames frontwall 11. Supported within the frame 3 on the shelf 7, the gate 9 isguided in its movement relative thereto by a pair of lips or flanges 12each integral with and instanding from a side wall 13 of the frame andextending therealong inwardly from the slot 10 toward the walls innerextremity. Each overlying or overhanging and having an underface 14substantially parallelling the adjacent or corresponding side 15 of theassociated shelf 7, the lips 12 with the underlying portions of theshelf sides and the included, vertically extending portions of the sidewalls 13, form a pair of inwardly opening or confronting guide channelsor ways 16 at opposite sides of the frame and fitting or receiving thesides 17 of the gate 9.

The vertical spacing between the sides 15 of the shelf 7 and theunderfaces 14 of the related lips 12 is such that the gate 9 is free toslide in the guide channels 16 but at the same time is resisted invertical angling or canting relative to the frame as it moves outwardlythrough the slot 10 to open position. This resistance imposed by thelips 12 to vertical angling of the gate 9 relative to the frame 3 is inpart responsible for the simplicity of the present relative to theconventional slide gate assembly. Were this a conventional assembly, theslide gate 9 would be supported outwardly of the frame 3 as it movedtoward closed position on a pair of transversely spaced side railsconnected at their inner ends to the frame and suspended at their outerends on hangers fixed to and depending from the upper part of thehopper 1. In place of this expensive framework, there is employed in thepresent assembly cantilever means fixed to or rigid with and supportedwholly by the frame .3, the preferred form being a pair of transverselyspaced cantilever guide or side rails or supports 18, each aligned withone of the sides 15 of the shelf 7 and extending or projectingsubstantially parallel to each other outwardly from the front wall 11 ofthe frame preferably to a point slightly beyond the center of gravity ofthe gate 9 in open position so as to minimize or, under normalconditions, eliminate stress on the lips 12. Lying wholly below thelevel of the gate 9 and having fiat, uninterrupted upper faces 18coplanar with the shelf 7, the side rails 18 conveniently are fixed to apair of vertically directed, transversely spaced side brackets, webs orplates 20 integral with and outstanding from the frame 3 at oppositesides of its front wall 11. Each of the rails 18 is readily attached toone of the brackets 20 by a rivet 21 and held against pivoting about itsrivet by an integral vertically directed shoulder 22 engaging thecorrespondingly directed front edge 23 of its bracket.

For shifting or driving it between open and closed positions, the gate 9has or carries on its undersurface or underside 24 one or a pluralityand preferably a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spacedracks or rack bars 25, each reinforced at the sides. by a pair oflongitudinally extending transversely spaced ribs 26 and each engaged bya pinion or pinion gear 27. The common drive or pinion shaft 28 to whichthe pinions 27 are fixed or keyed has one end 29, here its inner end,journalled in one of the side brackets 20, conveniently in a sleeve orsocket 30 formed integrally therewith and at its other or outer end 31projects or extends through an aperture or opening 32 in the otherbracket and is journalled in that bracket by a bearing 33 insertiblefrom without into and removably seated in the opening. Depending uponthe force desired or required in a particular installation to be appliedthrough it for imparting movement to the gate 9 through the pinions 27and racks 25, the shaft 28 may be connected to the usual operatingcapstan 34 either directly or, for increased mechanical advantage,through suitable gearing 35, such as that shown in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 754,834, filed August 13, 1958. Designedparticularly for applications in which the additional mechanicaladvantage is needed in opening the gate 9 and regulating discharge oflading from the hopper 2, the illustrated assembly uses as its gearing35-, the gearing of that application and correspondingly has the innergear 36 fixed to the outer end 31 of its shaft 28 and the J gearing orgear train 35, as a whole, housed or contained in a housing 37 rivetedor otherwise removably attached to the confronting side of the aperturedbracket 18.

Ordinarily, the ribs 26 at the sides of the racks would prevent thepinions 27 from being disengaged from the racks except by sliding thegate 9 outwardly through the slot 10. It is this characteristic that inthe conventional assembly requires stops to be fixed to the side railson which the gate is partly supported in open position after theassembly is installed in order to limit the outward movement of thegate. In the assembly of this invention, on the contrary, the lateralplay or spacing between each pinion 27 and the ribs 26 confining thesides of its rack 25 is made such, relative to the penetration or extentof the projection of the inner end 29 of the drive shaft 28 into thefixed sleeve 30 by which it is journalled in one of the side brackets20, that the shaft, on outward axial shifting within the limitspermitted by that play, will be pulled out of or disengaged from thesleeve. At the same time, the bearing-seating aperture 32 in the otherside bracket 20 is made of sufficient radial extent relative to theshaft 28, at least downwardly of the latters axis, as to enable theshaft, on disengagement from the sleeve 30 and unseating of the insertbearing 33, to be dropped to the level at which the pionions 27 will bedisengaged from or clear the racks 25. Consequently, it is possible, byremoving the means by which the insert bearing 33 and shaft 23 arenormally held in operative position, here the housing 37, to disengagethe drive means from the gate 9 without moving the latter.

The vertical, downward or radial, as well as limited axial shiftabilityof the shaft 28 relative to the frame 3 and thus the gate 9 is hereutilized to enable the pinions 27, in the normal or operative positionor condition of the shaft, not only to drive but to limit the outwardextent of movement of the gate and so eliminate the need for the usualstops on the guide rails 18. This is accomplished by blocking orinterrupting a groove 33 in and at or adjacent the inner end of one oreach of the racks 25 by a downwardly facing abutment or shoulder 39disposed to engage a crown 40 of a tooth 41 of the related pinion 27and, in conjunction with the restraint imposed on upward movement ordisplacement of the gate by the slot 10 and guide channels 16, lock orblock the pinion against further rotation in a direction to shift thegate 9 outwardly. Such locking of either pinion 27 against furtherrotation in turn serves to lock the gate 9 against further outwardmovement due to the intermesh of the adjoining tooth or teeth 41 and 42of the pinion 27 and rack 25, respectively. With this construction, thegate 9 is drivable between open and closed positions and, while normallydetermined in its open position by the abutment or abutments 39, isreadily applied to or removed from the frame 3 simply by dropping thepinions 27.

From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there hasbeen provided a slide gate assembly which is both relatively simple andinexpensive in construction and effective in operation. It should beunderstood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merelyexemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to beincluded which do not depart from either the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper of ahopper car about a bottom opening therein, the combination of a slidegate slidably mounted in said frame, rack means fixed to said gate, ashaft carried by said frame, pinion means fixed against relativemovement to said shaft and engaging said rack means for driving saidgate between open and closed positions, said shaft being shiftablerelative to said frame for disengaging said pinion means from said rackmeans and enabling removal of said gate, and groove-interruptingabutment means on said rack means and engageable with said pinion meansA} for limiting outward movement of said gate relative to said frame.

2. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper car abouta bottom opening therein, the combination of a slide gate slidablymounted in said frame, rack means fixed to said gate, a shaft carried bysaid frame, pinion means fixed against relative movement to said shaftand engaging said rack means for driving said gate between open andclosed positions, said shaft being shiftable relative to said frame fordisengaging said pinion means from said rack means and enabling removalof said gate, means connected to said rack means and engaging with saidpinion means for limiting outward movement of said gate relative to saidframe, and means connected to said frame for supporting said gate inopen position.

3. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper of ahopper car about a bottom opening therein, the combination of a slidegate slidable horizontally in said frame rack means on and extendinglongitudinally of an underside of said gate, shaft means on said framebelow said gate, pinion means fixed against relative movement to saidshaft means and engaging said rack means for driving said gate betweenopen and closed positions, said shaft means with said gate in closedposition being shiftable relative to said frame for disengaging saidpinion means from said rack means and enabling removal of said gate, andmeans interrupting a groove in one of said rack and pinion means andengageable with the other of said means for limiting outward movement ofsaid gate relative to said frame.

4. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper of ahopper car about a bottom opening therein, the combination of a slidegate slidably mounted in said frame, rack means fixed to said gate, ashaft carried by said frame, pinion means fixed against relativemovement to said shaft and engaging said rack means for driving saidgate between open and closed postions, said shaft with said gate inclosed position being shiftable relative to said frame for disengagingsaid pinion means from said rack means and enabling removal of saidgate, means fixed to said gate and engageable with said pinion means forlimiting outward movement of said gate relative to said frame, andspaced cantilever means removably attached to and connected only throughsaid frame for supporting said gate in open position.

5. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper of ahopper car about a bottom opening therein, the combination of a slidegate slidably mounted in said frame, rack means fixed to said gate, ashaft carried by said frame, pinion means fixed against relativemovement to said shaft and engaging said rack means for driving saidgate between open and closed positions, said shaft with said gate inclosed position being shiftable relative to said frame for disengagingsaid pinion means from said rack means and enabling removal of saidgate, means fixed to said gate and engageable with said pinion means forlimiting outward movement of said gate relative to said frame, andcantilever means fixed to and outstanding from said frame and connectedonly therethrough for supporting an outer portion of said gate in theopen position thereof.

6. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper of ahopper car about a bottom opening therein, the combination of a slidegate mounted for horizontal sliding in said frame, rack means fixed tosaid gate and reinforced at sides by rib means extending longitudinallytherewith, an opeating shaft carried by said frame, pinion means fixedagainst relative movement to said shaft and engaging said rack means fordriving said gate between open and closed positions, said shaft withsaid gate in closed position being shiftable relative to said frame fordisengaging said pinion means from said rack means and enabling removalof said gate, means fixed to said gate and engageable with said pinionmeans for limiting outward movement of said gate relative to said frame,and cantilever means fixed to and outstanding from and connected onlythrough said frame and lying Wholly below said gate for supporting aouter portion of said gate in the open postiion thereof.

7. In a slide gate assembly having a frame fixable to a hopper of ahopper car about a bottom opening therein, the combination of a slidergate slidable horizontally in said frame, means on said frame overlyingand limiting upward relative movement of said gate, rack means on andextending longitudinally of an underside of said gate, a shaft mountedon said frame 'bGIO-W said gate, pinion means fixed against relativemovement to said shaft and engaging said rack means for driving saidgate between open and closed positions, means connected to said rackmeans and engageable with said pinion means for limiting outwardmovement of said gate relative to said frame, said shaft being shiftablerelative to said frame for disengaging said pinion rneans from said rackmeans and enabling removal of said gate, and spaced cantilever meansremovably attached to and connected only through said frame forsupporting an outer portion of said gate in the open position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,138,95G Henderson May 11, 1915 1,623,303 Burnett Apr. 5, 19272,222,280 Bathe Nov. 19, 1940 2,690,139 Dorey Sept. 28, 1954 2,738,736Dorey Mar. 20, 1956 2,869,480 Batho Jan. 20, 1959

1. IN A SLIDE GATE ASSEMBLY HAVING A FRAME FIXABLE TO A HOPPER OF AHOPPER CAR ABOUT A BOTTOM OPENING THEREIN, THE COMBINATION OF A SLIDEGATE SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME, RACK MEANS FIXED TO SAID GATE, ASHAFT CARRIED BY SAID FRAME, PINION MEANS FIXED AGAINST RELATIVEMOVEMENT TO SAID SHAFT AND ENGAGING SAID RACK MEANS FOR DRIVING SAIDGATE BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, SAID SHAFT BEING SHIFTABLERELATIVE TO SAID FRAME FOR DISENGAGING SAID PINION MEANS FROM SAID RACKMEANS AND ENABLING REMOVAL OF SAID GATE, AND GROOVE-INTERRUPTINGABUTMENT MEANS ON SAID RACK MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PINION MEANSFOR LIMITING OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID GATE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME.